


Breathe

by blutopaz15



Series: S3 Fics [3]
Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Cuddles, Dorks in Love, F/M, Heroes and Masterminds, Hugs, Kissing, Love, Romance, Sweet, fluff!, season three
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:46:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26938363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blutopaz15/pseuds/blutopaz15
Summary: “She watched intently as he stepped closer to her, the words leaving his mouth becoming muffled to her ears as her mind latched onto that gentle smile that he wore so very often. Her eyes widened and inhaling became more difficult as she let herself revel in this display of Callum’s most heart-stopping characteristics. His voice was so, so sweet, his eyes so kind and so green, and that smile he sent in her direction...wow.“
Relationships: Callum & Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Rayllum - Relationship
Series: S3 Fics [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2018519
Comments: 9
Kudos: 97





	Breathe

**Author's Note:**

> My take on the scene on the ambler in Heroes and Masterminds! I just want to go back to the bliss of S3 honestly.
> 
> Fluff and love!! Trying to write more from Rayla’s POV, which is how we all arrived here at this fic.
> 
> Enjoy!!

She watched intently as he stepped closer to her, the words leaving his mouth becoming muffled to her ears as her mind latched onto that gentle smile that he wore so very often. Her eyes widened and inhaling became more difficult as she let herself revel in this display of Callum’s most heart-stopping characteristics. His voice was so, so sweet, his eyes so kind and so green, and that smile he sent in her direction... _wow_. Human or not, arcanum or not, _this_ was his own special magic, now directed solely at _her_...her breath caught in her throat.

Somehow these warm, tingly feelings both relaxed her and made it absolutely impossible for her to breathe, almost like her lungs stopped needing air because she had him near to keep her going instead. _Breathe,_ she ordered herself _._ She wondered if he could help with that.

He moved even further into her space, and, almost reflexively, she inched closer too, mind fuzzy in her undeniable desire to have him near. _Dumb_ , she thought, considering how this desire of hers had played out the last time.

“You are so...”

As soon as she glanced to his lips, she tried to put the thought out of her mind and let her heart sink back down. She bitterly remembered the disappointment and embarrassment she’d suffered not even twenty-four hours before. How could he could say and believe all of these wonderful things about her but not like her enough to kiss her? Didn’t he feel this...pull...that she felt? Then—

 _Oh._ Their lips were touching, and this time _he’d_ been the one to do it.

The initial shock of his kiss was like a little spark of warmth that melted the tension that had taken up residence in her chest. Suddenly, she felt like she could breathe in deeply again for the first time since realizing her feelings for this sweet human boy _whose lips were now attached to hers._ Her eyes drifted shut as relief washed over her that, yes, he did like her too!

And then...it was over and he was standing before her a blathering, stammering mess, making excuses for something that needed none. She stared for a moment, then—realizing that he was going to continue the messy string of words instead of immediately kissing her again—she rolled her eyes. 

”Shut up.” He visibly stiffened as she tucked her fingers into his scarf, tugging him close. She saw panic, then fear, pass through his eyes. Glancing down to his lips, she sought the permission she so badly wanted to return his kiss. As his eyes softened in realization that she was not _angry,_ but _pleased_ with his kiss and _excited_ for another, he glanced at her lips too, so she hastily, enthusiastically attached her lips to his. Relief coursed through her again, especially as he pushed back into the kiss. She drifted closer to the warmth of his body.   
  
His nose brushed against hers as their kiss ended and they leaned their foreheads against each other’s. She smiled at seeing his kind green eyes so close to hers, at the subtle moisture left on her lips from contact with his, at his warm hand at her waist. She smiled knowing that he wanted to kiss her the way that she wanted to kiss him. She was pleased to see him smiling back at her.

”Wow,” he whispered, eyes closing again. She wasn’t sure if he kissed her this time or if she kissed him, but she did know that this kiss was her favorite so far, steady and balanced. His lips were still so _soft_ against hers, so gentle, so sweet. His other hand found its way to her back, pulling her willingly into him, and she slid her hand down from where it rested on his chest to hold him closer too.

She wondered if the pace of his heartbeat was continuing to increase as they kissed the way hers was. _Breathe_ , she reminded herself again, trying to slow down her rapid pulse. It seemed, though, that he interpreted this breath as her wanting to end their kiss. He pulled away, leaving her with her eyes closed, lips puckered against the air, not ready to part from him yet. Luckily, he immediately crushed their bodies together into an embrace, so he didn’t see her slight disappointment.

”Wow,” he said again near her ear. His breath tickled enough to make her shiver.

”You already said that,” she responded tenderly, laughing a little. “My heart is pounding,” she confided, wondering if he could feel it, or maybe even hear it. He pulled away as she spoke, their arms remaining loosely around each other. Her breath caught in her throat seeing his eyes again, so full and green and lit up by the moonlight overhead. _Breathe_.

”Mine too,” he chuckled. “Feel,” he said, finding one of her hands to bring to his chest. He held hers in place with his. It was, indeed, thumping strongly against his ribs. She blushed a little feeling the warmth of his skin through his shirt. Her mind strayed back to his warm arms around her as they chased the ambler all day. _Breathe._

“Nervous?” She teased, tapping him in the chest.

“Yeah,” he smiled and shrugged. She’d hoped he might tease her back, but instead her stomach flipped as he grew serious and—impossibly—sweeter. “What about you?”

”A little nervous, I guess,” she shrugged and looked to the side. “Mostly excited that you want to kiss me.” Her eyes did a complete circle, unsure of how he might respond, up to the sky and then off the edge of the ambler’s saddle before coming back to meet his. He moved his fingers against her waist, pressing into her side reassuringly.

“Of course I want to kiss you.” She blinked. _Breathe, Rayla._ She thoughtback to her embarrassment the last time he’d whispered sweet nothings to her in the moonlight. She looked down doubtfully. “You’re...amazing...and beautiful. Rayla, everything I said last night—“

”Nope.” She shook her head and turned her head away. She did not want to ruin _this_ by talking about _that_. 

”Oh, right. Certain death.” She looked back at him as he continued, comforted enough to resume her fond gaze. “Uh...anyway, the point is, how could I _not_ want to kiss you?” As if to demonstrate his words, he extended forward to lay a kiss on her cheek. Somehow this chaste gesture made her blush more than anything. 

”That’s sweet,” she said and raised a hand to her cheek to touch where he’d kissed. He was sporting a smile she could only call lovesick and she wondered if her smile matched. Her eyes drifted to his lips again, and she saw them begin to move again.

”Do you want to—” Eagerly, her lips were sealed to his halfway through the question. She moved to tangle her fingers in his scarf again, holding on tight to prolong their contact as much as possible. She was surprised to feel a hand in her hair, brushing a few stray pieces behind her ear. She wondered if he could tell how the warmth of her blush had spread to the tips of her ears when his fingers brushed past one of them. She finally broke away— _breathe_!—and to her surprise, Callum openly laughed, fingers still tangled in her hair. 

”I was going to ask—do you want to sit down?” His fingers gently fell from her hair, down her cheek, back to her waist. He was still chuckling, and she felt her cheeks deepen in color at her overzealousness. She turned away, her shoulder now perpendicular to his chest. She glanced up to see that, to her relief, Nyx had left them alone in the ambler's saddle...embarrassing herself in front of _just_ sweet, dorky Callum was bad enough.

”Sorry, I didn’t mean to—“ She muttered nervously, her hand covering her eyes. She was still a little scared that she might do something to turn him away...perhaps like kissing him with such embarrassing enthusiasm. His hand was on her shoulder the next moment, turning her gently back to him.

”No, no, don’t be sorry. _I’m_ sorry. I shouldn’t have laughed.” He turned her around and pulled her down to sit in one swift movement. His eyes grew concerned, seeing that she was certainly not comforted. “What’s wrong?”

“I just keep embarrassing myself,” she shook her head and looked to the side again bitterly as she spoke.

”Rayla, that was... _cute.”_ She looked back to him and her eyebrows raised at this admission. She was fascinated by the color that sprang to his cheeks as his eyes cut away nervously when he complimented her. Then, he looked at her steadily. “There’s no reason for you to be embarrassed. We can sit _and_ kiss. If you want.” The surprisingly flirtatious smile he flashed at her made her repeat her mantra— _breathe._

”I very much want,” she mumbled, staring back into his eyes, mesmerized. She wanted to be in his arms, on his lips. She sat up on her knees, moving closer to him, and then her wish came true. He was kissing her again, his hand cradling her jaw.

She softly exclaimed a little when he pushed her backward so that she leaned against the saddle of the ambler, but to her delight, he didn’t pull away. Instead, she felt his lips curl into a smile while he kissed her. His thumb stroked her cheek as he ended the first kiss, just to immediately begin a series of shorter kisses, more fervent and forceful than before. Her eyebrows rose with surprise at his apparent confidence.

This was bliss—the feeling she’d imagined when she stared at the back of his head as she tried to sleep at night, the feeling she’d tasted whenever he smiled at her, the feeling that clouded her head whenever he laid a hand on her arm or shoulder. Then, his kisses slowed, and he pulled away, dreamy, half-lidded gaze meeting her wide-eyed, starstruck stare. _Breathe._ They grinned.

He blinked away, color rising to his cheeks again, and moved to sit by her side, resting his head on her shoulder. She thought she could feel his blush even through the thick fabric that shielded her shoulders. She turned to look at him, unable able to see much beyond his mess of brown hair. He rubbed his face against her arm, cuddling in closer.

”Sorry, Rayla,” he yawned. “I really, _really_ like this, I promise. But, we didn’t get much sleep last night...”

”I’m tired too,” she said, really wanting to continue to kiss him. Sleeping with him on her shoulder was an attractive alternative though. How many times had she wished she could slide over to cuddle up to him at night? “Hold my hand?” She yawned too as soon as she spoke.

He straightened up momentarily to smile at her and then took her hand in his. He leaned back against her shoulder and she, likewise, leaned into him and closed her eyes, each sharing and supporting each other’s weight. She blinked her eyes open when she felt Zym crawl up to lay across both of their laps.

“This is nice. Goodnight,” he whispered, long after she thought he’d already been asleep.

”’Night,” she whispered back, squeezing his hand. She breathed in a little deeper, finding it a little easier than ever before.


End file.
